More Pears to Process, Mistakes are Made, Pear Jelly and Pear Chutney

I had planned for a little while to buy some Pears and preserve them in a light sugar syrup. Waitrose have small bags of pears which are ideal for this at £2 a bag.  The syrup that I use is a light syrup basically this is 8oz of sugar to half a pint of boiling water (you can use boiled kettle water) and then stir until the sugar is dissolved) or you can do it the traditional way by boiling the water in a saucepan and then adding the sugar until it has dissolved. Then bring to a gentle simmer near boil stirring all the time and take it off.  Add the cold amount of water depending on what quantities you have used)  Then  you top off with half a pint of cold water.  I always leave mine covered in the fridge overnight once it has cooled down and then use it the following day.  This time around I have made a 2 pint batch.

Today, I managed to get to them and get them processed.  Hard work and well worth the effort involved to serve in puddings or with cream over the winter months.  I am rather partial to these. Particular care needs to be taken to keep the Pears underwater either salted water or lemon water or even citric acid as they soon brown or oxidise because they have been exposed to the air. I use a Melon Baller to remove the core. However, sometimes Pears ripen a lot quicker than you expect.  This has happened to me in the past and just recently.  No one is exempt. If this happens turn them into a small amount of Pear and Onion Chutney and put the fruit to good purpose.  Preparing a Chutney is a right old mix and not a beauty show for Pears. Everything gets squished down as it cooks and as a result of the stirring. Then buy or acquire more pears for preserving in syrup and try again.  Nothing wasted or lost that way on.  

Just a word of warning, Pears ripen from the inside out, so it is not always possible to know at which stage the Pears are in ripeness.  Sometimes getting the peel off reveals more than is on the surface.  Sometimes the Pears crystallise as well and leave what look like bruises under the skin.  Therefore really try and keep away from riper pears for bottling.  Preferably they should be what I call "green".  They should be reasonably firm for processing.  I am also going to be using the peelings to make a small amount of Pear jelly as well.

Very pleased with how these have turned out.

I also plan in preserving some Pears in a Ginger Wine syrup and also Mulled Wine. That will be another week though.  I have wine, just need to sort the Pears out.  This lot is therefore the first tranche as it were.

I also plan in drying and crystallising some pear slices for decorating gateau and baked goods through the winter months as well.  Something a little different to make and use in my kitchen. Aesthetics are just as important as the taste.  We eat with our eyes first. Bottled or tinned pears would be very good in my homemade Chocolate and Pear Trifle which consists of a homemade cream filled chocolate Swiss Roll, Pears in juice or syrup, chocolate Blancmange and cream.  Always a favourite here and one that I used to make for the children when they were at home (albeit that was about 30 years ago)!

There are always things that you can make to resurrect items that slightly go wrong.  I had thought of using the less than beautiful pears in my Chocolate and Pear trifle as well but on this occasion decided on the Chutney as I felt that the Pears were a little too ripe and they have gone into chutney.

A little update

Since I typed this post up G  has come back with some more Pears which are going to be bottled in syrup.  Every little helps as they say.  We eat a lot of fruit both fresh and from the cupboard.

Catch you soon.

Pattypan

x

P.S. Post will be updated with photos shortly.  Very slow connection at the moment.